Spillage of liquid from liquid-bulk carrier cargo ships has been a problem since the first liquid-bulk carrier cargo ship was launched. However, in recent times, such problem has become extremely noticeable and has created several environmental disasters. This is particularly true when the liquid cargo is oil or other such product that has the potential to inflict great harm on the environment.
Typically, a liquid-bulk carrier cargo ship includes at least one large liquid containing hold that is partly formed by at least a portion of the ship's hull. These ships generally have an onboard pumping system for loading the liquid cargo into the hold and for offloading the cargo from the hold at the ship's destination. The pumping system thus includes a fluid connection into the cargo hold and a conduit that can be fluidically connected to a facility that is spaced from the ship, such as an onshore storage facility or the like.
One common cause of the aforementioned cargo spillage is the rupturing of the ship's hull. This rupturing can result from numerous causes, such as collision, weakening of the hull structure, or the like. Whatever the cause, the rupture may result in great quantities of the liquid cargo spilling out of the ship and into any body of water in which the ship is located at the time.
Due to the problem with spills, the art has included several designs intended to contain the spilled product. Such designs have included portable booms that are deployed around the spill, inflatable mechanism, and the like. While somewhat successful in many situations, most of these device have several drawbacks. One such drawback results because the device must be brought to the spill site from somewhere else. In the time that the device is being transported to the spill site, great damage can be done. In fact, many of the most damaging spills have occurred because the leaking ship was permitted to leak for several days until proper containment mechanisms were moved into the vicinity of the ship.
Another drawback is directly related to the very nature and principles of the devices. These devices are intended to contain a spilled product in a particular area after the liquid has already spilled from the ship. Weather or other conditions may inhibit the effectiveness of such devices. Furthermore, even if the devices are effective, the cargo is still in the water and may create great problems, even if it is contained to a specific area and location.
Still further, since these devices are intended to be deployed in the water surrounding the ship, they may be subjected to difficult and harsh weather conditions. Such conditions may make deployment of the containment device difficult or ineffective.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for preventing a rupture in a ship from allowing any liquid cargo from causing great damage to the water in which a liquid-bulk carrier is located, yet which is efficient to store and deploy, and which will not be unduly sensitive to weather or sea conditions. More specifically, there is a need for a device for preventing a rupture in a liquid-bulk ship hull from allowing liquid cargo to leak out of the ship in the first place and which can be stored on the ship and deployed within an area that is not subjected to weather conditions.